If nothing else came out of Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2014, there would be Valentino. Specifically, the dreamily romantic collection sent down the runway by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino, which featured everything from tutus to gowns ornately embroidered with Garden of Eden scenes alongside coats adorned with primitive patchwork cougars.

The collection seemed to draw from every genre of visual art since the Renaissance in palette, embellishment, silhouette and philosophy. But ...

I was talking to a young friend recently who got me thinking about myself when I was her age. She had moonlighted as a model for one of our holiday covers and I sent her a copy of the photo with thenote: “Did you see this? So pretty!”

Her reply surprised and saddened me a bit. She confessed she was resisting the urge to pick herself apart. This young, beautiful woman who we thought gorgeous enough to fill in as a ...

Lady Gaga did it, then Ke$ha did it, then Miley did it (or was it the other way around? And does it matter?). Even Madonna did it, and now Beyoncé (who is now calling herself Yoncé because she's “street” or something) has released 17 music videos to go with her new, “visual” album in which she virtually wears no pants.

I used to have a tepid admiration for Donna Karan's clothes; I could see their value and quality and versatility, but they weren't for me. “Not my style,” I said.

I must've been crazy.

Recently (isn't that when most things happen to me?), I attended a presentation and trunk show of Donna Karan's Resort 2014 collection, presented in connection with The Glamourai's (theglamourai.com) Kelly Framel, who styled the models, and I was floored.

I recently received an email touting the return of the corset to the “shapewear” market.

What, I wondered, was there to celebrate? Just one more foundation garment out there designed to make any woman over a size 2 feel bad about herself while also being unable to breathe.

Since the rock star of all “slimwear” – Spanx – hit the market in 2000, women of less than Vogue proportions and shape have been inundated by stretchy, paneled compression-like garments to whittle the ...

The recent dustup over the Melissa McCarthy coat cover of Elle got me thinking: How much responsibility (if any) do we (fashion editors) have to represent women in all their shapes and sizes?

Here's the back story for the uninitiated: Hilarious actress Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids,” “The Heat” and a television show I don't watch) covered the October issue of Elle magazine wearing an oversize coat (a current trend in fashion, by the way) that swallowed her up.

“What do I wear with animal print”? “What if I wanna go punk but not too punk? Like punk light?” “I like feminine florals but all I see is ‘menswear'; what should I do?”

Sometimes, balancing fall's trends can get a little overwhelming and blend together until you aren't sure if you should wear your moto jacket with your leather leggings or over your animal-printed pencil skirt. (The answer? Whichever makes you happy!)

I'll say it again: I have a great job. Recently, my life in shoes required me to be outside by a luxurious pool, sun blazing overhead, surrounded by back-lit hills, and watch as one beautiful ensemble from Gucci's Cruise 2014 women's collection floated by. And the best part is, it was all for charity.

Gucci, Shady Canyon Golf Club and South Coast Plaza partnered for a runway show and luncheon to raise money for the Shady Canyon Charitable Foundation, which each ...

About the blogger:

Fashion editor Julie Gallego gets to talk about fashion and shoes and get legitimately paid for it! The blog is called My Life in Shoes because Julie believes a good day starts with the right pair of shoes.